Ingot mold cleaner



May 3, 1949 G. H. BlvENs 2,469,148

INGOT MOLD CLEANER Filed April 29,' 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet l GEORGE H.Bl-VENS INVENTOR.

yBY

ATTORNEY May 3, 1949. G. H. BlvENs INGOT MOLD CLEANER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Filed April 29. 194e @al g. Z

GEORGE H. BIVE NS INVENTOR.

Patented May 3, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT lOFFICE INGo'r MOLD CLEANERGeorge H; Bivens, `ohnstown, Pa. Application April 29, 1946, Serial No.665,651

, 3 Claims. 1

This invention has reference, generally, to the cleaning of ingot moldsand has for the primary object the provision of a device for handlingingot molds where the latter may be lifted from its stool, positioned ata selected side thereof, turned upside down to clean it of foreignaccumulations, and then restored to its position on the stool in properalignment with other molds thereon, with rapidity and ease and at amaterial saving in time, manpower, and operating costs.

In accordance with my invention a simple and effective ingotmold-engaging tool is provided for use with an open hearth furnacecharging machine whereby the latter may be effectively employed in theperformance of the operations above set forth.

The invention, together with the stated and other objects as may laterbecome apparent, will be best understood from the following detaileddescription and accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational View of a furnace charging deviceequipped with my invention and showing the tool engaged with the ingotmold;

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevation view for the purposeof showing to better advantage the application of my invention;

Figure 3 is an enlarged face view of the tool per se, with the chargingbar of the charging machine shown in transverse section; and

Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional View taken substantially on line4-4 of Figure 3.

Having reference to the drawings, 5 indicates an ingot mold, one or moreof which, and from which the ingots have been lifted or pulled, may bearranged on a stool 6, mounted on top of a car 'I which rolls along therails 8. Before the molds 5 are again used for casting ingots it isdesirable that they be cleaned of al1 foreign matter which may haveaccumulated therein.

My invention provides means for turning the molds upside down tofacilitate removal therefrom of all foreign accumulations and thenreplace the mold in proper alignment on the stool B to be subsequentlycarried by the car or cars 'I into position to be charged or stored, oras otherwise determined upon. The customary practice of cleaning ingotmolds is to manually turn them upside down to remove the residuetherefrom. My invention contemplates the employment of an ordinaryportable power driven type of open hearth furnace charging machine forfurnishing mechanical energy as a means for turning the mold upside downto effect a cleaning and for replaccar-supported stool.

In employing the charging device, indicated in the drawing by thenumeral 9 the usualcharging box or shovel arrangement is removed fromthe Charging bar or peel I0, and a mold-engaging tool II is used in lieuthereof. As is well known in the art, the charging bar or peel I iscapable of rotation in either direction, of reciprocatory movement, andalso of moving upwardly and downwardly. The charging bar or peel Il!also includes a connecting pin or key I2 slidably mounted and actuatedby a suitable mechanism of the charging apparatus.

The mold-engaging tool, constituting a salient feature of the presentinvention, consists of a pair of telescoping members I3, I4 that areadapted to be extended relative to one another for engaging the notchedfree end I5, I6 thereof with the lugs I1, Ila of the mold 5 at one sideof the latter, and to be retracted for releasing the mold.

In the present instance, member I3 of the tool is secured to the freeend of charging bar or peel l0 and braced with respect thereto by asuitable brace I8 as illustrated. Tool member I4 is adapted to bereleasably secured at the desired position of adjustment with respect tothe complemental tool member I3 by projecting the head end I9 of theconnecting pin I2 into through opening 20, formed in member I3 and thatopening 2| of a series of such openings formed in member I4 as might bebrought into alignment with the aforementioned opening 2i) (see Figs. 2and 4).

Extension and retraction of tool member I4 is under control of theoperator through the medium of a cable 22 that is trained over a pulleywheel 24 suitably journaled within a slot 25 provided in tool member I3(see Fig. 4) and is secured at one end to the inner end of tool memberI4 and at an opposite end to suitable mechanism of the chargingapparatus.

In use, charging bar or peel Ii! is thrust forward to place the toolmembers I3 and I4 in vertical alignment with the lugs I6 and Il on oneside of the mold 5. By slightly raising the bar Il) the notch I5 isengaged with the top lug II and by releasing tension on cable 22 toolmember I4 will drop down to engage notch I6 with bottom lug I'Ia.

As openings 2I are so relatively spaced, having in mind the variationsin the spacing of lugs I1, I'Ia as may exist in the various types andsizes of ingot molds, when the notched ends of the tool members I3 andI4 are in positive engage- 3 ment with the lugs I1, Ila, one of theopenings 2| will align with and intersect the through opening 20. Thekey or pin I2 is then thrust forward and the head I9 thereof engaged inthe aligned openings to thereby detachably secure the mold to thecharging bar or peel.

With the mold thus secured to the charging bar, power is applied to thelatter for raising the mold off its platform 6, moving .the `mold to oneside of vthe car 1, turning the mold upside down to permit the desiredcleaning thereof, righting the mold, and then returning the mold to itsproper position on the platform, all in the order stated.

After the cleaned mold has been restored toits proper place, pin I2 isretracted to free 4tool member I4 so that upon proper manipulation o!cable 22 and bar I0 the tool members are readilyl disengaged from lugsI1, I 'la and the parts are then in position for repeatingthe cycle ofoperation just 'described 'for leffecting and cleaning'of vthe nextsucceeding mold 5.

It -will be appreciated from thek foregoing that with a device ascontemplated by `this invention the cleaning of molds by fthe desir-ableprocess of turning the mold upside down will :be accomplished withrapidity'and ease `and with material saving in time, manpower, andoperating roost.

It is understood that while I have 'herein described a preferredembodiment of my invention, nevertheless various ,changes may -be madetherein, within the scope of the claims hereto appended.

What I claim is:

1. Apparatus for handling ingot vmolds of the type having lugs arrangedin pairs on opposite sides thereof, vcomprising a tool embodying a pairof members slidable relative to one .another and respectively having oneend thereof adapted to engage a lug of the mold, one of said toolnix-:5mbers being positively secured to the free end of the charging'barof a furnace chargingmachine, and said members being complementarilyequipped to ybe engaged by the connecting pin slidabiy carried 'by thecharging bar to be secured thereby at the desired position of adjustmentrelative to one another.

2. A mold handling apparatus comprising in combination with an openhearth furnace charging machine having a charging bar and a connectingpin slidably mounted thereon, of a twopart tool having its partsrelatively longitudinally adjustable on the free end of the charging barand having notched terminals adapted to be moved into and out ofengagement with the lugs vat .one side of the ingot mold, and alsohaving means cooperable with v'the connecting pin :for securing the toolat a selected position of longi- `-tudinal adjustment, and meansconnected with 'the tool for controlling adjustment of the tool.

3. Aitool for releasably securing an ingot mold yto the charging bar ofan open hearth furnace charging'macl'iine, comprising a pair oftelescop- 'ing members each .of which has a free end provided with anotch to engage a lug on the ingot mold, one of said members beingadapted to be mounted on the free end of a charging bar of the chargingmachine v@and provided y'with la through opening, .and the other of said-members Vhaving aseriesof openings adapted Afor registry` with theopening in the first member to receive 'the free end of the connecting`pincarried by the charging bar to releasably secure-the tool members invvarious :positions of adjustment relative to one another, and said-other tool member 'being also provided with means for controllingtelescopic movement thereof.

REFERENCES 'CITED A The kfollowing references are of record in theiileof this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS, 'i

